BENDIGO’S traders enjoyed one of their best Christmases ever. Trade in the CBD was up throughout December, with one trader telling the Bendigo Weekly business boomed in the lead up to Christmas. “It was our best ever,” he said. “We put it down to the Marketplace car park restricting the amount of people who went there. “We are really happy.” Ruffell’s Family Jewellers owner Lisa Ruffell said her trade was the best it had been in a long time. “There was certainly a lot of people around. Hargreaves Mall was packed,” she said. “Things were that good we closed our doors on Christmas Eve and didn’t re-open until this Wednesday. “We haven’t done that in more than 30 years.” Bendigo Traders Association spokesperson and Diggers owner Jane Mildren said the CBD was now recognised as the place to shop. “Personally we experienced great takings,” she said. “I think the remodelling of the marketplace would have had an impact on other CBD businesses. “But I also hope people have now discovered the CBD is a vibrant option, in that you can get everything you need in one place. “I wonder whether people are now starting to understand that.” Centro Lansell centre manager Chris Barraclough said their were more shoppers in his centre this Christmas. “Foot traffic was up 3.4 per cent on the previous Christmas,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it was the best Christmas we have had, but there was certainly an upturn, which is showing things are heading in the right direction. “We used a campaign of parking is easy here, which it is, and that helped.” A spokesperson for The Marketplace was unavailable for comment.
